Customer Project: Mark 5* Cape

by Louis O'Connor

• OVERVIEW
• HOW DO I MAKE IT
• MATERIALS

• Condensation inside a waterproof garment can be reduced by using two thin layers with an air-gap in between. Making a rectangular cape in this way also allows it to be used as a groundsheet, a bivvy bag and a basha (tarp shelter). As a bivvy bag, closing the edges with press studs (snaps) allows sufficient ventilation to minimise condensation inside.
  Dimensionally, this cape was originally based on the British pre-World War One Mark 4 and 5 groundsheets (6'6" x 3'3") that were issued to cyclists, so a cycling cape is another potential use for it. At 6'1", I enlarged this one by about 10% (appr. 2200x1100mm) to fit me better.
  Top tip if using as a cape: tuck the ends dangling down up into your belt or trousers at the front to stop the cape slowly rotating as you walk.
• It's a good idea to stitch the two sheets of Silpoly together along the inner ridge line seam first and use this a datum edge for cutting the two sheets to size. 
  Then hem the short edges with 3x 20mm turns, opening the ridge seam at the ends as necessary to allow this.
  The ridge seam is, essentially, a French seam with three web tags included for a ridge line to pass through. The slippery-ness of the Silpoly, now in multiple layers, becomes an issue for even stitching at this point. A walking foot didn't really work; maybe a Teflon one would.
  Finally, hem the lower long edges to 20mm.
  I used 15mm 'anorak snaps' for the cape front / ridge line edge and 1/2" plastic Kam snaps for the other three edges. If using two colours, as here, the Kam snaps need to be 'mixed and matched' (male and female) to use up an even number of each colour snaps, 3 at each end, 2 at the corners, 6 on the long edge.
  Make up three 'tubes' of Silpoly for the pegging points and attach these to the hems with 3 buttonhole tacks (double bar tacks, or a buttonhole without the hole :-))

• Required Materials:

  I used 3 yards of 1.1oz Silpoly PU4000 for each side; one in grey, the other in digital woodland to make the cape reversible. The finished article weighed 313 grams (11oz) and rolls up conveniently small.

  Related Products:

  • 1.1 oz Silpoly PU4000
  • KAM Snaps